International press reacts to FC Barcelona's sponsorship deal with Rakuten

We take a look at what the global news media had to say about the agreement

www.fcbarcelona.com

12:34PM Thursday 17 Nov

Club

17 Nov 16

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It's safe to say that FC Barcelona's new sponsorship deal with the Japanese firm, Rakuten, did not go unnoticed. The four-year deal, worth €55m annually plus incentives made quite a splash in the global press, garnering much-deserved attention around the world, both in general news outlets as well as in the realms of sports and finance.

Here are the highlights, including a mix of headlines and notable quotes:

The Nikkei Asian Review: 'Barcelona have agreed a new four-year deal for their shirt sponsorship with Japanese internet retailer Rakuten worth 55 million euros ($58.90 million) a year excluding potential add-ons, La Liga champions said on Wednesday.'

The Guardian: 'Speaking at the press conference to announce the deal Josep Maria Bartomeu, the Barcelona president, said the defender Gerard Piqué and his wife Shakira helped the club to negotiate the deal with the Rakuten chief executive, Hiroshi Mikitani.'

ESPN: 'Barcelona's Rakuten sponsorship includes deal for friendly in Japan'

CNBC: 'Barcelona -- once renowned for never having had a sponsor on their shirts -- will earn an additional 1.5 million euros for each time they win La Liga and an additional 5 million euros Champions League each time they win the Champions League.'